Demigod High-School Story: The Awakener
by BcozYou'reMyFriendSeaweedBrain
Summary: Gabriella Winnok is hoping for her Senior year at Goode High to be like all others: quiet, being alone and unnoticed. But when she meets new-kid Percy Jackson, she is cast into a different world. With school life, new friends, old enemies, finally meeting her father and a prophecy about the fate of the demigod world, Gabby's life isn't as quiet as she had hoped. Percabeth OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey FanFiction world! So here's my first fanfic. I hope you enjoy. **

**Let me know what you think**.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. **

* * *

**Prologue**

Like all good stories, this one begins on a day that is not so much different than any other. Like all good _demigod_ stories, this one begins on a day that turns out to be as strange and as different as you can get. And, like all good _high-school_ stories, this one begins with a bell.

**Chapter 1**

RING!

I jumped up, jerked awake by the sound of the school bell. My head was in my arms and my books weren't even open. I must have fallen asleep during Mr. Simmonds' lecture about the importance of the arts in our everyday lives. I've got two words for you. Bor-ing. But on the up-side, it's the first day of the school year and I've already set a personal record for catching up on lost sleep.

Don't get me wrong, I love school, but it's just so _dull_. Having ADHD and dyslexia doesn't help either. My mind wanders and I end up getting detention for not paying attention in class. It's just teachers rambling on about things that I learned about in eighth grade anyway. And that isn't even the worst part.

I scrambled around, gathering my books and notes and rushed out the door, ignoring the glares of the people that I bumped into, and headed to my last class before lunch, praying that my luck would hold. I had already had my first three classes without causing too much trouble. Okay, maybe I did trip up Emily Syre in first period Greek. I _accidentally _fell asleep while she was trying (emphasis on the _trying_) to pronounce cat and she fell over my leg. But I only got a glare from the teacher; she likes me because I'm the only student that doesn't get the words _cat _and _chair _up. Geography wasn't too bad, apart from when I mixed up Malaysia and Mexico (blame the dyslexia), and in art, Mr. Simmonds didn't even notice that I fell asleep. So maybe, just maybe, I would be able to walk down the hall without getting interrupted. What was I thinking? It's _me_. So I wasn't really surprised when, in her bleached blonde, blue eyed, short skirted, cake-faced make-upped glory, Kayleigh Edwards cut across my path and stood in front of me with her hands on her hips, closely followed by her posse.

"What's up, freak?" she sneered. Did I mention that I'm kind of a loser? Apparently looking like an escaped circus freak is perfectly acceptable, but joining the orchestra is social suicide. Who knew?

I feigned shock. "Why, Kayleigh, I didn't know you cared."

"I don't care." she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

_Why in the world would you ask if you don't care?_ I thought, rolling my eyes.

I smiled sweetly. "Could you excuse me?" I asked "I'm gonna be late for Algebra. Unless you have something you want to say?"

"Oh, I just wanted to make myself feel prettier by being around someone so ugly," she mocked. However, I'm pretty good at comebacks.

"Why did you come over here then?" I asked, "You could have just stayed with your friends. Oh right, even they couldn't make a monkey like you feel pretty. Now, if you could excuse me?"

She didn't respond, so I pushed passed her, books in hand, heading down the hall to forty-five minutes of hell.

Welcome to Goode High, New York.

I sat down in room 113B, in the back row, and begun to take in my surroundings. Scott Davies, one of the jocks, was hitting on Jessica Forrester, which resulted in him getting a slap to the face. I snickered. Scott was one of those..._people_, if you know what I mean. He's arrogant with blonde hair and brown eyes, and knows he's good looking. I hate guys like that. Jessica was cute in a nymph-y kind of way. She has dirty blonde hair and grass-green eyes. She's tall and willowy, with long limbs and slender fingers.

In another corner of the classroom were two of Kayleigh's cronies. One was texting her new boy toy for the week and the other was re-applying her makeup and fixing her hair. Typical. They notice me looking and shoot me a glare. Jeez, anger issues much? Toward the front of the room were the geeks, Arnold Ryder, Beverly Morris, Lewis Campbell and Brenda Brooks, were writing a science report and comparing comics or something. It may sound nerdy, but the kids were actually pretty cool. I got paired up with Lewis for an English project in my sophomore year, and since then we've been on friendly terms; nothing major, just a '_Hey' _in the hall and stuff.

Before I could take in anymore, the teacher walked in.

She was a short, black haired woman, who looked about thirty, and introduced herself as Mrs. Wright. She silenced whispered conversations and glared at Kayleigh's cronies who were still texting. They rolled their eyes as a _'Whatever'_gesture. God, they are so annoying.

Mrs. Wright was just about to begin the lesson, when a boy came stumbling through the door.

"Mrs. Wright? Senior Algebra?" The boy asked. Mrs. Wright nodded and raised her eyebrow, asking for a reason for him being late to class.

"Sorry I'm late," the boy began, "my flight was delayed this morning." He frowned and I could tell from his expression that he didn't like airplanes. I couldn't blame him. I don't like them either.

Mrs. Wright nodded curtly and said "I'll let this one slide, since it's the first day of school, but don't make a habit of it Mr…" She trailed off, and the boy realized that she was waiting for his name.

"Jackson," the boy said, "Percy Jackson."

"Yes," Mrs. Wright smiled. "Don't make a habit of being late Mr. Jackson. Take a seat beside Miss Winnok, and I will begin my class."

I jerked my head up as I heard my name being mentioned, and I saw the boy walking rather awkwardly in my direction. I gave him a small smile as he sat down. That gave me a proper chance to look at him. He was tall. Not freaky tall, about 6 foot 2, and his hair was black. Not dyed black, that was obvious, but a raven black, with what looked like the remains of a gray streak on one side. This puzzled me. _I'll have to ask him about it later, _I thought to myself. He also smelled strange. Not the 'oops, I forgot to shower' kinda strange, but more like a natural, familiar smell, like I recognized it from somewhere. I shook my head, dismissing the thoughts.

I turned my attention back to Mrs. Wright, because I didn't want to freak _Mr. Jackson _out by me staring at him for too long. He probably got that a lot. The guy was quite a looker. Not my type, but cute all the same.

"First, I would like all of you to partner up with the person next to you," I heard Mrs. Wright say, "and find out about each other. Then, write about 500 words on yourself, and for homework, write about your opinion of, and your relation to mathematics, particularly algebra. You have the rest of the lesson to complete the task. You may begin."

Chatter immediately broke out among my class, and I turned to Percy and held out my hand to shake.

"Gabriella Winnok," I said as he took my hand and smiled.

"Percy Jackson," he replied with a smile. We locked eyes, and they were the most unusual colour that I've ever seen. They were green. Not green like grass like Jessica Forrester's, or mould green like Aidan Sawyer's, who's in my Gym class, but sea-green. Bright, confident, masking pain and regret. But there was another emotion that those eyes held. Love. There must be someone in his life that he really cares for. _Maybe it's his dad, or a brother,_ I thought to myself, _or maybe he has a girlfriend. Whoever she is, she's a lucky girl._

I figured that we had better get to work on out 'project', so I began with a simple question.

"So, is this your first year at Goode?" I asked "I don't think I've seen you around before."

He smiled and replied, "No, I was here for my sophomore year, but was transferred last year because of some, how do I put this… er, family issues?"

I nodded as realization dawned on me. "Oh, I remember you! You were on the swim team."

His eyes brightened when I mention swimming. "Yeah, I love the water; it's my favourite thing in the world." Percy laughed, "I must take after my dad."

"What does he do?" I asked.

Percy's eyes shot up and he replied, "Well, um, he's a, marine biologist."

I wondered about his hesitation. He realized this and he explained that he doesn't really see his dad very often, because his parents had separated after he was born. I noticed that he didn't seem troubled by that.

"You don't seem to mind that he left. Doesn't that bother you?" I questioned. My own father had left my mother before I was born, and I have resented him ever since.

Percy smiled and shook his head. "I was angry with him until I was twelve years old, and then I met him for the first time and he explained his reasons."

"Wow, my father left my mother before I was born. She never talks about him, and I've never met him. I hate him for leaving. I don't understand why it was so hard to stay."

When I mentioned not having met my father, Percy seemed surprised and a little shocked. He looked like he was processing what I had just said, and he put on a confused face, like was having a debate in his head. _God_, I thought, _I'm rambling again. Stupid ADHD._

I must have accidentally said it out loud, because Percy quickly asked, "You have ADHD?"

I blushed, embarrassed. I didn't like people to know about my ADHD and dyslexia, but there was no use denying it now, so I shrugged and said, "Yeah. ADHD and dyslexia."

I expected a lot of things that he would say. When people found out, they would usually say, '_You're such a loser'_, or '_What an idiot, she can't even read!' _But I didn't expect him to say, "Really? I never would have thought. I do too."

I grinned. Before he went back to his work, Percy said, "Hey, do you want to, I dunno, hang out? I need someone to get me up to speed."

"Sure," I replied. "It'll give me something to do."

I smiled, and as I turned back to my work, I thought, _Well, it looks like I've found a friend, and it's not even lunch! Speaking of which, I'm hungry. _

* * *

**So, how did I do? Love it? Hate it? Please let me know. I'm open to all suggestions. Please, I would like to know you're opinion. Thanks guys!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone, it's me again!**

**Wow, I'm so happy with the great reviews and stuff. Thanks guys!**

**Don't worry, I'll bring in Annabeth and everyone else in soon.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

The bell rang, signalling the end of the lesson. I grabbed my books, looked back at Percy, and we exited the classroom together. I found out a lot about Percy Jackson. He loves his mother, has been going to a camp on Long Island since he was twelve. He is obsessed with the ocean, and anything that has to do with water. He is a loyal friend, and a hard worker, but he seemed to be avoiding the topic of relationships. I don't blame him, he must get girls jumping all over him, and I didn't mind, I've only ever had one boyfriend, but I caught him cheating on me. I don't really like bringing that up.

We stood outside the classroom, and when our conversation died, I asked, "Hey, can I see your schedule?"

"Huh?" He asked, obviously confused. I rolled my eyes.

"Your _schedule_," I replied, "you know, that piece of paper that tells you what classes you have?"

"Oh," he smiled sheepishly as he pulled a crumpled up piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to me.

"Honestly," I said, as I compared our two a timetables, "what's in that head of yours? Seawater?"

He laughed and said, "That's what my girlfriend says. She calls me Seaweed Brain."

We began walking to lunch in the cafeteria. That was on the other side of the school, so I kept up the conversation.

"Ooh," I smiled as I nudged his arm and handed him back his schedule, "Percy's got a girlfriend! What's she like?" I teased.

He grinned. "Her name's Annabeth Chase, she's from California."

I frowned. _A California Girl? Really?_ He laughed.

"I know what you're thinking. But she only lived in San Francisco until she was seven. She isn't like any other girl I've ever met. She's tall and has curly blonde hair and grey eyes. I love her eyes."

I smiled at this. It's not every day that you get a boyfriend that rambles openly about how he loves your eyes. But he didn't stop there. He talked and talked about everything about her. Her fear of spiders, the way her hair smells like lemons and how her mom hates him.

"And she's the smartest person I know. She loves architecture and her dream is to go to Greece and see the Parthenon."

"Wow, she must really be something. How long have you been dating?"

"About two years." He replied proudly, obviously impressed with himself. I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"Yeah, we got together on my sixteenth birthday. She kissed me after my _atrocious_ attempts to ask her out." He looked proud of himself, like he'd been practicing saying the word 'atrocious'.

I laughed at his story. I could totally imagine his stuttering attempts to ask out this Annabeth girl.

"But there was this rocky bit last year for about eight months, I didn't see her and couldn't contact her at all. It was a nightmare." He didn't look like he wanted to share, so I asked another question.

"So, when did you meet?"

"I met her when we were twelve, on my first day at summer camp. The first thing she said to me was _'You drool in your sleep'_. We hated each other. I thought she was totally uptight, and she thought I was an idiot." He smiled, but it quickly turned into a frown.

"Come to think of it, I don't think her opinion has changed at all."

I laughed. "She sounds wonderful. I hope I get to meet her."

"So do I," Percy said, "you'd love her."

"I'm sure I will," I smiled. He smiled back as we opened the doors to the cafeteria.

* * *

We entered the cafeteria, to be greeted by absolute chaos.

Shouts and laughter could be heard, and students were running around like a bunch of untrained monkeys.

_Oh great,_ I thought, _I was right. Another year of living hell._

Percy's eyes widened when he saw the array of students just about bouncing off the walls, so I grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the food, which seemed to cheer him up.

As I walked away with my chicken burger, water and chocolate-chip cookie, I looked back at Percy, who was pleading with the lunch lady.

"Can you _please_ make it blue?" he whined, "please, please, _please_?" _Blue coke? What's wrong with this kid?_

But Lunch Lady held her ground and Percy walked away, grumbling, looking at his coke with distaste. I decided not to bring up the _blue food_ situation, and he stood by me, looking around the cafeteria.

"Who do you normally sit with?" he asked.

"Oh," I said, blushing, "well, I, um, don't really have any friends. I normally sit outside, um, by myself."

He looked surprised. "You don't have _any _friends?" I looked down at the floor in embarrassment.

"Well," he smiled, "we can have no friends together. These people are idiots anyway."

I smiled at him gratefully. "You can say that again," I muttered as two freshmen kids ran headfirst into each other. _That had gotta hurt._

Percy and I sat down in my usual spot under the big oak tree, and I questioned Percy about his love of blue food. He explained how, when he was young, his mother, Sally Jackson-Blofis, was married to an awful man named Gabe Ugliano. Apparently, he treated Percy and his mother badly, and he believed that food could not be blue. So, just to annoy Gabe, Mrs. Jackson made all food blue.

"Is your mom still married to Gabe?" I asked after Percy had finished his story.

He smiled, like there was some personal joke he wasn't sharing. "No, we got rid of him _long_ ago. When I was fifteen, mom married Paul."

"Paul?" I asked.

"Paul Blofis," he replied. I was a bit, to say in the least, perplexed. His mom married his English teacher? But Percy continued. "Mom met him at one of her business conferences. She's an author. That's how I got into Goode actually. Paul offered me a place and I accepted. I was running out of places to go. This is the only school I've been able to stay at for over a year. I've been expelled from all the others."

I certainly didn't expect that. Percy didn't seem like a bad-boy. He seemed kind and caring. How could a guy like that get expelled from so many schools? Mind you, this is my fourth school. I left the first after my principal attacked me. It was in third grade, and I still don't understand that. Everyone said that I was hallucinating, that Mr. Wilson couldn't possibly have a goats head, but I still have a scar on my left shoulder to prove it.

That day when I came home from school, mom pulled me out and we moved from my original home in Washington to Idaho. After that, I have moved inter-state to, obviously, New York, and Goode is the second school I've been to here.

Once again, the school bell jarred me away from my thoughts. Percy helped me up and we walked to our last period of the day, Study Hall, to work on our 500 words for Mrs. Wright.

* * *

Percy slammed his locker, which was about five down from mine, and we walked out of Goode together in a comfortable silence.

We reached the student parking lot and I asked, "Do you have a car?"

He nodded, "Although you can't really call it a car. It's a piece of rusty metal on wheels."

I laughed and he asked me how I get home.

"I usually walk or take the bus," I shrugged.

Percy smiled and said, "Well, do ya want a lift?"

"In your piece of rusty metal on wheels?" I said skeptically, "Sure!"

He laughed and we walked to his car. I noticed girls glaring at me. I shrugged it off and we drove away in Percy's car, with it hiccupping every now and then.

We held a quiet conversation, and he asked me about my life. I explained how I've moved all over the country with my mom, Sarah Winnok. I also told him about the third grade incident with my principal, but left out the part about the goats head. He seemed shocked, and put on his _deep-thinking face,_ which doesn't suit him at all. It looked like he was having another debate in his head, but one side was definitely more dominant.

I began to feel a bit awkward, so I asked him about how he got expelled from so many schools.

He chuckled. "Well, in eighth grade, I had to leave because I, er, had to go interstate for the rest of the school year, and in seventh grade, I accidentally 'torched' the gym,"

I gasped, shocked and he smiled, "I didn't _actually _torch the gym, some visiting *ahem* students did, but I got blamed. Again."

I still wasn't quite reassured. Then something clicked into place.

"You're the kid who set fire to the music room during the orientation!" I exclaimed, suddenly remembering a boy with messy black hair and green eyes running out of the school grounds, closely followed by, wait, Rachel Elizabeth Dare? _I'll have to ask him about that later._

"Yeah, that was me," Percy said, "but believe me, that wasn't the worst thing that's happened."

He told me about the other times he's been expelled, like sixth grade when he got into a fight with a girl named Nancy Bobofit; fifth grade, when he got in an accident with a Revolutionary War cannon _("I wasn't aiming for the school bus! Honestly!")_, and in his fourth grade school when they took a tour of the Marine World shark pool and his class went on an unexpected swim.

I laughed at the last one, and I realized that we had arrived at my house.

"Thanks for the ride," I said as I opened my door and begun to walk up the steps to my house, "see you tomorrow."

He waved and drove away, and I opened my door thinking about him. _Percy is the strangest person I've ever met,_ I thought, _but I like him._

I dumped my bag in my room, crashed on the couch and closed my eyes.

_What a day. Who knew that making friends takes up so much energy? Well, it's a good excuse for a good nap._

* * *

**So, anyone who guesses her immortal parent correctly first gets free virtual cookies!**

**(::) (::) (::)**

**I made blue chocolate chip ones today, so I'm super hyped.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I went on holiday for a week and there was NO INTERNET!**

**But it wasn't as bad as it sounds.**

**PS: You get to meet her mom now!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_**** or ****_Heroes of Olympus_**

* * *

CHAPTER 3

I sat down at the dinner table next to my mom, Sarah Winnok.

She's an amazing person, really, even if I don't see her much. She grew up in Florida but moved to New Jersey to go to college. That's where I was born. My mom had me just after she left college, where she received a Masters of Medical Science degree. My father left a month before I was born; mom said he had to go, and she understood his reasons. I don't see any reason for him to leave though. Parents shouldn't leave their kids. She never saw him again.

My mom says that I look a lot like him. My dad, I mean. Mom says that I have his hair, long and dark, but I have her loose curls that end up being more wavy than curly. She also says that I have his personality; confined, cunning, resourceful and misunderstood. But she doesn't know where I got my eyes from. They're golden, and shine different colors, like rubies and emeralds embedded in gold.

My mother, on the other hand, has warm violet-blue eyes and greying strawberry-blonde hair. She's tall and thin, with an angular, inquisitive yet kind face. She works two jobs, one at a lab during the day, and another at the local Wal-Mart at night, so I don't see her much. She doesn't work on weekends though, so we have lots of mother-daughter bonding time. We have dinner together, because that's the only time I see her _all day_.

Mom looked at me and asked, between bites of spaghetti, "How was your first day of senior year Gab?"

I smiled, but didn't quite know what to tell her, "Well, I'm in Miss Garcia's homeroom, and I have her for History and Geography. First period was English; Mr. Blofis is really cool. He makes it _fun. _He knows how to deal with dyslexic kids."

"That's great. You didn't have Greek today then?" Mom asked. She never taught me, but I've always had a knack for the Greek language. It was strange at first, never having studied it, and yet being able to read the original _Odyssey _with the same difficulty as reading English, even with my dyslexia_._ Basically, I could stumble over a few lines without my head exploding. Now, I can speak – and read – it as a second language. Cool huh?

"No, that's fourth period tomorrow," I replied. I finished telling her about my morning, but stopped after I finished my story about Kayleigh.

"Is something wrong?" Mom asked me, "You shouldn't let Kayleigh get to you."

"No, it's not that," I replied, "I just met this really strange guy in Algebra."

"Oooooh," she said, nudging my shoulder. Mom has this idea that whenever I mention a guy, I automatically have a crush on him. It gets really annoying sometimes.

"Urgh!" I groaned, rolling my eyes, "I don't _like_ him Mom, besides, he has a girlfriend."

She shrugged, obviously not convinced. I decided to ignore it and finish telling her about Percy.

"His name's Percy Jackson, he's that kid who set fire to the music room during the orientation to Goode." Mom's eyes opened wide when I mentioned this, I just rolled mine, expecting her reaction. "He didn't do it on purpose. He's really weird though. He has ADHD and dyslexia too. He loves his mother more than anything and she makes Percy's favorite food, blue cookies."

Mom definitely hadn't been expecting that. She looked at me, eyebrows raised, but I waved my hand and said "Long story. _Anyway_, he's been going to a camp on Long Island since he was twelve. He is obsessed with the ocean, and anything that has to do with water. His girlfriend's name is Annabeth Chase and he met her on his first day at that camp. Apparently they hated each other. They got together on his sixteenth and have been together ever since."

I looked over to see Mom's reaction to my story. She looked like she agreed with me about the _weirdness factor._

"You did say _blue_ cookies didn't you?" she asked. I laughed and took my empty plate into the kitchen and I could hear Mom muttering to herself. _Blue cookies? Who eats blue cookies?_ I shook my head and went upstairs to finish my algebra homework.

* * *

I was lying on my bed with my earphones in, listening to Taylor Swift's _Breathe _on my iPod and thinking to myself. Three guesses what I was thinking about. Ding ding ding! We have a winner! Yeah, I was thinking about Percy Jackson.

_I need to ask him about Rachel Dare,_ I thought,_ I haven't seen her since sophomore year. Where did she move? Oh right! She went to Clarion Academy or something. Huh, I can't imagine her there. Mind you, her father _is_ the owner of _Dare Enterprises, _he probably sent her off there to become more of a 'young lady'. She probably hates it there. I miss her._

Yes, before she left, Rachel was the only person who was remotely nice to me. I didn't know her very well, but she kept me company during lonely lunchtimes. But, she left. _But Percy might still be in contact with her,_ I thought,_ who knows, we might have a little reunion._

My thoughts drifted to Annabeth Chase as the song changed to _Teardrops On My Guitar_. I really hoped I'd meet her. Percy seemed to really love her. _I wonder if she'd like me? _I was pondering whether or not we'd become friends (but I didn't want to get my hopes up), when I heard a knock at my bedroom door.

The door opened to reveal my mom in her pink fluffy dressing gown that I got her for Mother's Day last year. I took out my earphones as she sat next to me on my bed. I looked at her and she smiled.

"I'm so glad that you're finally making friends Gabby," she said, "you need someone to talk to that isn't your mother."

I smiled at that. As much as I loved my mom, there are some things that I can't talk about with her. I mean, everyone feels uncomfortable opening up to their parents, and even though Mom and I have a really stable relationship, I can't tell her everything. Although, I cann_ot_ imagine talking to Percy about shopping or the cuteness factor of Harry Styles' butt.

"Yeah," I smiled, "I'm finally getting a social life." I paused, not really sure what to say next, but continued by saying "and really, of all the people I _could _be friends with, I'm actually glad it's him."

Mom frowned, deep in thought. It must have come as a shock to her; her daughter's first _actual_ friend is a guy. Not just a guy, but a very cute guy. I'm just saying.

As if to prove a point, Mom said "So tell me more about your friend. What was his name again?"

"Percy," I replied. "His mother's name is Sally Jackson and his parents separated after he was born. Apparently his dad is a marine biologist, but Percy didn't meet him until he was, what, twelve?" I felt a lot of different things when I said this. My own father left in the exact same manner but, unlike Percy, I have never met him. I don't even know what he looks like; Mom has no photos of him, or if she did, she never showed me. I smiled grimly, imagining what I would do if I met him. I'd probably shout at him and scare him to death or run at him and hug the life out of him. Nah, I'd probably just tell him to go to hell.

"Gab. Gabby. Hello?" Mom was waving her hand in front of my eyes. I turned to face her, snapped out of my gaze.

"Hmm?" I smiled sheepishly. I need to stop doing that.

"You tuned out again," Mom said. She cocked her head to one side trying to read my expression, her curly hair framing her face like trees from a picture book. In the dim light I could see the lines on her aging face. She was only forty-one, but she looked so much older. I looked into her eyes and could tell that she knew what, more importantly who, I was thinking about.

After a minute of silence she tried to reassure me by saying, "Don't worry, you'll see him one day. Then it will all make sense."

Mom could tell that this wasn't a topic that I wanted to talk about, so she asked me what Percy was like. I replied by saying "Well, Percy's kinda hard to describe. He seems loyal. Heck, he must be loyal, he and his girlfriend have been going out for _two years_. Most of the kids at school can't hold a relationship for more than two _weeks_."

"What else?"

"He's got a stupid sense of humor but seems very emotional, which is strange. When I was talking to him, he always knew what to say; he says the right things at the right time, like he actually cares about someone else's feelings."

Mom nodded in approval. She knew I hold grudges and am often too quick to judge people. I will admit, I'm quite prejudiced. When Mom first mentioned this, I told her _'I'm not prejudiced, I just hate everyone equally.'_

I couldn't think of what else to say, so I shrugged my shoulders and said "Well, that's about it."

Mom was shocked. "You haven't told me what Percy looks like yet!"

I frowned. I wasn't sure what image she had in that mind of hers, but I was sure that it wasn't even close to what Percy actually looked like. She probably either pictured a leather jacket wearing, motorbike riding bad-boy because of the whole 'torching the music room' episode, or a shy, sensitive happy-go-lucky tree-hugger because he has a stable girlfriend or actually shows emotions.

"He's tall," I began, feeling a bit awkward not that Mom will find out that he's actually cute. "But when I say 'tall' I don't mean freakishly tall or anything. The top of my head goes to just above his chin."

"What else?" Mum asked. _God, she's really getting excited isn't she,_ I thought to myself.

"He's a swimmer, so he's quite athletic looking. He's not muscle-man or a string-bean either though. He's got a light tan and messy hair. Black hair. But I think it's just naturally like that. He smells of something that seems so familiar but I can't quite put my finger on it."

"You notice how he smells?" Mom asked, amused. "You know how he _smells_?"

I rolled my eyes, "You would too if you sat next to him all day."

I thought about all the other things I could say about him, like his confident, yet wary stride, or the angle of his shoulders that makes him look like he's about to whip around to defend himself against an attacker. Or I could talk about the emotions in his eyes, like he knows more pain and loss in eighteen years than I will know in my entire life.

I looked at Mom and noticed her processing what I had said. To break the silence, I said two words. "His eyes."

Mom looked at me. "What?"

"His eyes. They're green. Sea-green. Very strange, like the color masks something bigger."

Mom looked at me strangely. "Are you _sure_ you don't have a crush on him?"

"I'm _positive,_" I replied. "He's not my type. Although, I don't know what my type is yet."

As she squeezed my shoulder and rose from the bed, she said softly, "Don't worry Gabriella, you'll find out someday."

I smiled, kissed her cheek and said good-night. At that same moment, I had a flashback.

_It was of me, but I couldn't have been older than six. I was at the beach and I danced around in the waves while my mother watched cautiously. I ran back to her and felt the sand between my toes. A second later, the wind picked up and whipped my hair around me like long, dark ribbons against my pale skin. The salty air hit my face and I took a deep breath in. _

I opened my eyes just as Mom was about to close my door.

"Wait!" I called.

She turned around, confused at my sudden outburst.

"That's it," I said. "His eyes…like seaweed. He's like a wave; untamed and unpredictable. And," I paused, wary about what I was about to disclose, "the ocean." I said, looking at my mother's confused face. "That's what he smells like. The sea."

I wasn't sure what to expect when I looked into Mom's eyes. Maybe confusion, maybe amusement. But I saw something completely unexpected, an emotion that I'd never seen her face bear.

When I looked into her eyes, I saw fear.

* * *

**Ooh, cliffy! You'll find out why her mom's scared later.**

**So this is where the demigodishness comes in. I will bring in Annabeth (she's one of my faves) and there will be Percabeth**

**I plan to send Gabriella on a quest and I've got a prophecy ready, but I'm still open for ideas.**

**Please PM me if you have any questions and/or comments or suggestions **

**Luv ya**

**3 BcozYou'reMyFriendSeaweedBrain**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone, I have returned!**

**So, how should Gabriella find out that she's a demigod?**  
**a) she gets attacked**  
**b) Percy or Annabeth tells her**  
**c) she figures it out for herself**  
**d) her father tells her**

**The poll is on my profile, please vote! I could really use your help!**

**Oh, and feel free to PM me any ideas if you have some, I really appreciate it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_**** or ****_Heroes of Olympus _****all rights go to Rick Riordan. :(**

* * *

CHAPTER 4

_I was cold.  
Too cold. _

_Darkness surrounded me like a blanket. Suffocating me. Closing in. A tearing feeling, like claws ripping at my chest. A piercing scream split through the silence as sharp as glass._

_The pain.  
The fire erupting in my head, tearing my head apart. _

_I saw the light. A flicker of heat in the murderous cold. The claws still tearing at my back, blood dripping down my spine. Pain. Hurt. Distress. I open my eyes and try to move my feet. They were numb, dead to sensation and I stumbled. _

_I couldn't move; I was stuck to the floor. I turned my head, trying to catch a glimpse of my attacker but to no prevail. I was blind. My heart beating in my chest was the only indication that I was still alive. _

_But not for long._

_ The light was gone. And its absence left me with the ghost of the little warmth that that light provided.  
it left me alone  
i was alone  
alone with no hope  
alone with no courage  
alone_

_I was falling_

_ I was cold_

_ I was alone_

_ I couldn't remember what it was like to be warm_

_ I was bleeding  
I was dying_

_I  
was  
alone  
gone  
cold  
Gone…_

* * *

_ I sat up in a rush of panic and distress and found myself in a pile of leaves. I was surrounded by trees that were clad with leaves the color of gold and every shade of red and crimson and every hue of yellow. The sun shone through the canopy above, sending liquid light down in ribbons of heat. I looked around and held out my hand to catch a stray leaf. It dropped into my waiting hand; _One happy day for every falling leaf you catch_. I stood up and brushed myself off and begun to take in my surroundings._

_ I looked to my right and saw a girl with jet black hair. She was wearing silver jeans and a silver parka and her eyes were shut in sleep. She radiated power. In-human power. Her hand rested on a circlet, like a tiara, and a strung bow and a quiver of arrows. On the other side of her sleeping form was a boy. His skin was pale and he looked young, about fifteen, but people always look younger in sleep. His body swam in a black aviator's jacket that was about two sizes too big. He barely moved or breathed, as if he was on the border between the living and the dead. On his finger was a ring in the shape of a skull. Rubies were embedded in the sockets of the eyes, starring out at me in a way that was not possible for any human to accomplish. _

_ Shivering, I turned away from the boy and turned to my left. I jumped in surprise as I recognized the sleeping form of Percy Jackson. Even in slumber he seemed alert, prepared for attack. His eyebrows furrowed together as he mumbled something under his breath. He shivered and rolled over. His T-shirt was orange, once bright but faded by continuous washing. The right sleeve was torn and the side was stained with what I prayed was Kool-Aid. There was writing printed on top of the dull orange color which I read as three simple words: Camp Half-Blood._

_ I felt no recollection of ever seeing those words before, but I felt a connection, like it was a coded message that I didn't understand. _

_ A single name formed on Percy's lips: _Annabeth_. He whispered her name over and over again, as if chanting that word would somehow bring her to him._

_ A noise behind me made me whip my head around, searching for the source of the offending sound. I saw nothing but the golden leaves twirling around in the crisp Fall air. _

_I took a step forward. Cautious. Alert. I took another step. And another. There was no sun now. Just the empty promises of the night._

_ I worked my way through the trees, pushing branches out of my path, my feet scuffing against upturned tree-roots and fallen leaves. _

Stop_. A voice in my head commanded me. I obliged and stopped in my tracks. I turned around in circles, searching for the source of the speaker. _

_The wind. A gust of it attacked my body like frozen knives, pricking and scraping at my exposed skin. I gasped as frost began to form on the back of my neck. I tried to call out. Call out to Percy. Call out to someone. Anyone. But the icy gale stole my screams before they were even formed. _

_ I turned around, looking for the sleeping bodies of Percy and the boy and the girl, but they were not there. In the distance, I heard mangled screams loud and shrill enough to wake the dead. I tried to run but an unknown force held me back._

Stop_. The voice repeated its command. _You stand alone. _Alone. The word stuck out from the others and rung in my ears like it had hidden meanings. And not in a good way. _

You are power. You will stand down. You will not fight, else those closest to your heart will pay for your mistakes.

_ My heart raced as the voice took over my mind, penetrating my thoughts until there was nothing else. Destroying all independence. Taking away my one freedom. _

Sleep_  
the voice ordered me  
_Don'tfight_  
i couldn't fight_

_It was my voice  
Torturing pain  
screams echoed through the silent forest  
Help  
this time, the screams were mine  
Please  
begging for it to end  
I  
can't  
hold  
on_

* * *

**Well, again, thanks for reading and please remember to review!**

**Luv ya! (Though not as much as Percy LOL)**


	5. Chapter 5

**As promised, another chapter! But with school going back and everything, I won't be updating as much. :(**

**But, you are still welcome to review (I really need the feedback), vote on my poll or read my new Tratie story (When Pigs Fly)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****_Percy Jackson and the Olympians_**** or ****_Heroes of Olympus_**

* * *

Every sunrise signifies a new day. A new light, a new hope. Stuff that. All a sunrise means to me is another seven hours of dodging death. Evil witches in short skirts and high-pitched squeals trying to cast their spells on you, old hags droning on and on with their rasping voices that make my ears bleed and ogres blundering around in football jerseys with the intelligence lower than their shoe size. It's survival of the fittest at this prison.

Okay, school isn't _that _bad. Psh, it's only the second day.

Before I did anything this morning, I sat on the edge of my bed, looking at a raven that had perched itself on a branch outside my window. I was thinking about my dreams. Even now, with the sun streaming in through my window, I had the urge to look under my bed and in my closet to look for any monsters preparing an attack.

But I didn't. Instead, I showered, singing in the hot water with my voice resonating on the tiles. I liked to sing, even if I didn't do it often. I attempted to dry my hair, but it remained its usual stubborn self; refusing to cooperate with me at all.

I pulled a black T-shirt over my head. It was one of those where it has a heart monitor and the line goes still in the middle before it starts squiggling again. Underneath, it says _Sorry, for a minute there you bored me to death._ I put on a pair of ripped skinny jeans. The tears were from when I got attacked by a dog. I swear that dog had rabies. Or maybe it was a mutant. Dogs don't usually have fangs do they?

I tied my hair back in a messy sort of ponytail and clipped the fly-aways back with red bobby-pins. I hopped down the stairs, trying to put on my red converse at the same time. _Note to self: never try to put on shoes while hopping down the stairs unless you _really _want a broken neck._

Like usual, Mom had gone to work, so it was just me. I popped some bread in the toaster and stuffed my homework in my bag. I took my phone of the kitchen bench and checked the time. _7:23. That gives me enough time to get to school and check out today's classes. _I chucked it in the front pocket in my bag just at the time ticked over to 7:24.

I grabbed the now toasted bread out of the toaster before it looked too much like charcoal and stuffed it in my mouth, ready to run out the door. Who knew how long it would take for me to walk. I have a reputation of getting easily distracted. I was just turning off the radio, which had been turned on to some Indie Rock station by Mom earlier this morning, when I heard a car horn honk outside the front of the house.

I walked out the door, locked it, and turned around to face the piece of rusty metal on wheels itself.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Percy, who had just unlocked the passenger-side door, waiting for me to get in.

He shrugged and replied simply, "I figured you might want a lift."

I smiled and opened the door of his car and was greeted with the smell of freshly baked cookies.

"Good morning," I said as he pulled out of the driveway. "I didn't figure you'd be up this early."

He shrugged again and said, "Mom was baking this morning and that always wakes me up, and Paul always gets up early so he can get to school early and mark essays of whatever teachers do."

"Speaking of baking, what can I smell?"

"Oh, that would be these," Percy said as he stopped at a traffic light, reached behind into the backseat and produced a paper bag, grinning his lop-sided smile. He opened the bag and reached in to grab its contents, which turned out to be some very odd looking cookies.

"They're blue," I noted. "Your Mom's?"

"Yeah," he said, "I thought that you might want to try one." He handed me the bag and I warily took a bite out of the blue cookie.

"Oh. My. God," I said as I finished swallowing my first bite. Percy flinched as I finished saying this, like he was expecting lightning to strike the car or something, but his expression switched back to his goofy grin. I handed him back the paper bag as I said, "This is the most amazing thing I've ever eaten and believe me, I've eaten a lot of cookies in the past eighteen years."

Percy smiled, "I told you you'd like them."

"Yeah, you were actually _right._"

"Always the tone of surprise," Percy grumbled as he handed me back the paper bag. "You can have the rest, I've got more." I raised my eyebrows. _How many cookies does this boy eat? _

"Mom makes a batch every day, so we have plenty to spare," Percy stuck _another_ cookie in his mouth as we turned into the school parking lot.

"But by the way you eat, it seems to me like there _aren't _any to spare," I laughed.

* * *

Percy pulled into an empty space near the school entrance, parked the car and jumped out with a bit too much enthusiasm. As we walked up the front steps, he seemed to have an extra spring in his step. We opened the doors and he started _whistling?_

When we reached our lockers I put in my combination, grabbed my books and turned towards him "You seem exceptionally happy today. Care to explain?"

"Huh?"

We closed our lockers and headed to Homeroom. I rolled my eyes. _Is this boy really that oblivious?_

"Seriously?" I asked. "You've been bounding along and whistling your heart out. Now, it may just be sugar overload from the cookies, but I don't think that's the case."

He smirked, "Oh, Annabeth's coming this weekend. She's come to visit her mom, but she's staying with us. Mom _loves _her. Ever since they met when we were, what, fourteen? they've been best friends. When she found out that we were dating, I honestly think she was more excited about it than I was."

I grinned. I should have known that it was Annabeth that made him so happy. "I'd like to say I could meet her, but Mom and I are going to visit my grandparents this weekend." I paused for a bit as we opened the door to Miss Garcia's homeroom. "When did you last see her?"

"Last week," Percy said. "I was visiting her and her family before school started. Here," he opened up his workbook to the first page. On the inside of the cover was a picture clumsily attached with sticky-tape. "This is us when we were sixteen. We're with her step-brothers Bobby and Matthew. I think they turn thirteen next July."

I looked at the picture. The figure in the middle was obviously Percy. He had hold of one of the smaller boys in a head-lock and the other had hold of Percy's shirt, holding him down. On his back was a blonde girl with a tanned, slender figure. Her arms were around his neck, her curly hair falling over her shoulders. They were all dressed in jeans and T-shirts. I frowned when I saw the one that Percy was wearing. It was orange, with a Pegasus and words printed in black. I could only make out the _Camp Hal– _because the rest was blocked out by one of the twins' arm.

"Camp Half-Blood," I muttered under my breath. Percy's eyes shot up and glanced at the picture again, probably wondering how I knew the rest of the name on his T-shirt.

"How do you know that?" he asked me. I remembered my dream from last night and it sent shivers down my spine.

"Dream," I said quietly.

"What–" Percy was cut off by the bell. "I'll talk to you in Music."

He got out of his seat and rushed out the door to head to the pool. I, on the other hand, had Drama with Mrs. Reed. So, I walked out the classroom and glanced back down the hall at Percy's figure, weaving his way through the crowd. _He is one strange kid, _I thought.

I made my way to the Drama Theatre, thinking about the photo, Percy's shirt and my dream, all of which were very strange.

Little did I know, that being strange was one thing that we definitely had in common, and being strange was the most dangerous thing about me.

* * *

**Please please ****_please_**** review! Free virtual cookies for anyone who does!**

**(::) (::) (::)**

**Thanks to all the people who have reviewed so far, I really appreciate it. See you all soon!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Oh my gods! This is a mega-long chapter, so I hope you like it. Thanks to all the people who have reviewed!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians**

* * *

Great. Just great. I have officially decided that I _hate_ drama. So we're assigned partners for our first graded assignment of the year, and I just _happened_ to be paired up with Scott Davies. You know, the football crazed idiot that hits on anything wearing a skirt? Yeah, him. Why is he even taking drama anyway? OK, so that wasn't even the worst part.

Mrs. Reed has this obsession with Shakespeare, so every pair has to do a scene from one of his stories. We have two weeks to practice the scene, and she expects them to be _flawless._ I mean, come on! I can barely read English, let alone Shakespearean. Just when you think it can't get worse? It does. We have to do Act 2, Scene 2 from _Romeo and Juliet._ Mean anything? Didn't think so. It's the Balcony Scene. The _Balcony Scene_ for God's sake! I have to act all lovey dovey with *ugh* Scott Davies.

I hate my life.

"Are you OK?" Percy asked me. We were supposed to be taking notes about Music Theory, but I already knew everything; I'm one of Goode's prized music students. Percy, on the other hand, was scribbling down notes about the difference between semiquavers and semibreves.

"Pff, yeah, I wish. It's Drama." I replied. "I have to do the Balcony scene from _Romeo and Juliet_ with Scott Davies."

"Is he the big buff guy with blonde hair?" Percy asked. I nodded in lament. "The one who looks like his shoe size is higher than his IQ?"

"Yup, that's the one. Scott Davies: Goode High's quarterback, bully, idiot and all round horrible guy."

Percy grimaced, "Oooh, ouch."

"I know, it is mur-_der_."

"Miss Winnok, Mr. Jackson?" Miss Crawford said, interrupting our conversation. She frowned at us, so I smiled weakly and gave her my best angel eyes. Honestly, they're so good that you can practically see the halo above my head.

"Yes miss?" I asked.

"Could you please arrange you date _after_ my music class?"

I glanced skeptically at Percy beside me and replied, "_Me? _Go out with _this _idiot? Honestly, I don't know if he'd even understand what I'm saying."

"Huh?" Percy said. Yeah, real charmer.

"See, the poor thing," I said, patting his shoulder. "I was just explaining the difference between a semibreve and a semiquaver. You wouldn't want him growing up ignorant would you?"

"I suppose not," Miss Crawford said, smiling. She was one of my favorite teachers; she could never stay mad for long if you're on her 'Good' list. Which I am, if you didn't get the memo. But she isn't a teacher you wouldn't want to cross. Last year, a sophomore cheerleader was being snarky about Beethoven; she said that he was a _'totally ugly deaf dude who, like, had totally no fashion sense. And his hair? Like, eww! OMG! And his music, it's, like, _old_!_ Yeah, I know. What a - ,you know, I'm not even going to say what she is, I'll let you figure that one out for yourself. So anyway, Miss Crawford gave her three weeks detention. That definitely shut Miss Snarky Pants up.

"Yes," Miss Crawford continued, "_Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity_, to quote Martin Luther King Jr. However, I would appreciate it if you raised you hand to ask questions _Mr. Jackson_."

She obviously aimed the last part at Percy, who looked up from doodling on his exercise book and said "Wha– oh, er, yes Miss."

"Thank you, Mr. Jackson. So, a semibreve is length is equal to four beats in 4/4 time…"

I tuned out after that, writing random song lyrics in the back of my book and practicing my violin fingering on the table. It wasn't until Percy nudged my shoulder and waved a hand in front of my face that I realized that class had ended. I jumped up, said a quick goodbye to Miss Crawford and walked out the door, closely followed by Percy, who was admiring the array of guitars lined up by the desks.

"So what do we have next, Gabby?" he asked as we stopped in the hallway. He still seemed a bit confused about my conversation with Miss Crawford. It's really funny seeing him pout with his eyebrows all scrunched together.

"Well, we have Greek with Mr. Gonzalez and then lunch," I replied. That certainly brightened his spirits; his face lit up and his pace quickened.

"_Finally_, a subject that I can ace," he said as we walked into Mr. Gonzalez's classroom. I was surprised to see both Kayleigh Edwards _and _Scott Davies there. Mind you, they were surrounded by their posse or football friends. Kayleigh was flirting with a scared looking boy called Andre Rolland. Huh, I'd be scared too if Kayleigh was talking to me like that, batting her eyelashes and pouting in a way that was supposed to be cute, but looked more like a demented duck. Scott, on the other hand, had his Greek textbook out. This _really _surprised me. _Scott _was reading a _textbook?_ _Wow, _I thought, _I really underestimated him. _Those thoughts were dismissed when I realized that he was reading the textbook upside down.

There weren't many other people in here; Greek wasn't a popular subject. Mr. Gonzalez was a really strict teacher. And when I say strict, I mean _strict._ When I first started in Freshmen year, the class was almost in tears by the end of the term. If I couldn't speak Greek moderately well already, I would have dropped out _ages _ago.

"So," I said, diverting my attention back to Percy, who, conveniently, had sat as far away from Kayleigh as possible. I sat down next to him and got out my textbook. "You're gonna ace this class then?"

"Yep," he said proudly, popping the 'p', "_I_ am a Greek _champion._"

I cocked an eyebrow. _A Greek expert, huh? _"I wouldn't be so sure. Mr. Gonzalez had my Freshmen class in tears because he's so horrible. No-one and I mean _no-one_ can ace his class. I mean, even _I_ only got an 83 on the end of year exam last year, and I'm a Greek freak."

"You, a Greek freak, I can't say I'm not surprised," Percy said frowning. "However, you," he jabbed a finger in my direction, "are definitely a music freak. Oh, thanks for that by the way. I may be a whiz when it comes to Greek, but ask me about Music Theory and I'm a complete novice."

"Why are you taking it then?"

"Mom thinks I need to expand my horizons. Annabeth agrees." He sighed and placed his head in his hands. "I am _so_ whipped."

I quickly muffled my laughter because Mr. Tobias Gonzalez had walked into the room. He's about fifty and he's really tall with thick glasses and a permanent scowl plastered on his face. He always wore the same ugly puce colored bow tie over the top of one of his faded checkered shirts. His pants are always two sizes too big; the bottom of his trousers hide his freshly polished shoes. Sometimes, in the colder months, he even wore a twenty-year-old, moth eaten tweed jacket. A _tweed _jacket. Now, I'm no fashion freak, but let's just say that the outfit doesn't really work.

Mr. Gonzalez never plays favorites, as Kayleigh learned last year. She tried to suck up to him, but it just earned her an afternoon of erasing textbooks. He always has high expectations; like we could always do better. A student has _never_ out-smarted him before because he always asks questions about the smallest details of pronunciation or, when we're studying history, myths and legends.

As he walked over to his desk, Mr. Gonzalez analyzed the classroom. He sat down and placed his bag on the floor. Murmurs quickly spread throughout the classroom, which he shut up with a quick glare.

"We're back to school, seniors," Mr. Gonzalez began. His voice was quiet, but stern and taunting, "as a welcome back gift for you, I have prepared a test for you. One written and one aural. You shouldn't have a problem with it; we covered it all last year. As soon as you complete it, place your finished test on my desk. Oh, and for our new students," he looked at Percy who raised an eyebrow, "good luck."

I gulped. This 'pre-term' test was probably part of last year's exam. Mr. Gonzalez walked around the room handing out papers. He set the timer for thirty minutes, inclined his head toward the class and said 'Begin'.

I looked down at my paper. The first section was Section 1. Translate the following into English. Underneath was an array of Greek sentences. Θα στάθηκε μόνο στο πεδίο της μάχης, που περιβάλλεται από τις κακοποιημένες πτώματα του στρατού τους. Άρπαξε στιλέτο της στο χέρι της και γύρισε να αντιμετωπίσει τον εχθρό της. Οι πόρτες του θανάτου ήταν κλειστό, αλλά το κόστος ήταν μεγάλο. Η προφητεία έχει σχεδόν ολοκληρωθεί. Άρπαξε το χέρι της, την κοίταξε στα μάτια και είπε: Όσο είμαστε μαζί.

I studied the paragraph and began the translation. After five minutes I had come up with something that resembled a translation. Their…stood together on the battlefield, bordered by the…body of their army. She took her dagger in her… and walked to head her…. The Doors of Dead were…but the money was…. The foretelling almost done. He…her…, saw her in the…and talked…_As long as we're together. _

The last sentence stuck out a bit, like I'd heard it before. Had I heard it before? It might have been in one of my dreams. They are very strange sometimes. They show me people I've never seen and things that hopefully I never will. I looked over at Percy. His face was pale, like he was remembering something that he really wanted to forget.

Next was Section 2. Translate the following into Greek. This next section didn't look as hard. There were a few easy sentences, but they didn't make much sense. Your time will come. Remember to watch your back. (Ο χρόνος σας θα έρθει. Θυμηθείτε να παρακολουθήσετε την πλάτη σας.) or Sacrifice for the greater good. (Θυσία για το γενικότερο καλό.) but all in all, that question wasn't too bad.

I heard the creaking of someone getting up, and was surprised to see it was Percy, holding his test paper which was covered in a sort of scrawl. He walked over to Mr. Gonzalez, who was reading _Gulliver's Travels_, and stook awkwardly in front of the desk. Mr. Gonzalez let out a sigh, bookmarked his page and looked up at Percy. Percy, who was drumming his fingers on the table, slowly handed his test into the teacher's outstretched hand.

I saw Mr. Gonzalez frown at the paper and say something to Percy, who looked shocked and shot a remark back. They engaged in their quiet argument for a couple of minutes until Percy left the desk with another sheet in hand. I didn't want him to see me staring, so I looked back at my test paper.

Section 3. Answer the following questions in English.

Who is the goddess of the hearth and the home?

Who are the Gorgons?

What is Aegis?

What is the story of Narcissus?

Who are the Titans? How were they defeated in the first Titan war?

_Yay! At least there's no more translation. _I thought _Hang on, _is? Are? _It must be a typo…_

I finished the test with three minutes to spare. I walked up to the front of the classroom and placed my test on Mr. Gonzalez's desk. He picked it up, gave it a once over and nodded. He shooed me away and I took my place at the back of the classroom.

Percy, who was leaning back in his seat with his hands behind his head, looked at me and asked me what I thought of the test.

"It wasn't the worst test I've done; I got stuck on the Greek to English translation though. What about you? I've never seen anyone get on Mr. Gonzalez's bad side so quickly."

He laughed, short and humorless, "I'd finished the test and he thought I was cheating. As if. So he gave me a re-test to do. I finished that too ages ago, but I thought that he'd accept it if I waited until the end of class to hand it up."

"You finished the test that quickly?" I asked, surprised. No offence to him, but he wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. "Wow, you really _are _a Greek whiz."

"I _told _you," he insisted. Before I could reply, Mr. Gonzalez's timer went off.

"OK, that's it. Time to hand up your tests." Mr. Gonzalez's comment was replied by groans of the students who hadn't managed to complete the test, and the quiet _'Yes'_s' of the students who, just like me, wanted to get the hell out of that class.

Everyone made their way to the front of the room and placed their test papers in front of Mr. Gonzalez, who was staring at his students with obvious dislike. As they retreated back to their desks, Mr. Gonzalez said, "Tomorrow, in our double, we will be having our aural and oral tests. I will give you _only_ tonight to revise. You are dismissed."

Percy and I gathered out books as the bell rang for lunch. _Thank God,_ I thought, _I am _starved_!_

As we exited the classroom, Percy pulled me aside and said two words: "Your dream."

* * *

**Ooooooh, cliffy! Don't worry, I'll update in a week or so. Don't forget to review. (Come on, I know you want to)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here it is, guys. Chapter 7! Wooooo!**

**Thanks to **percabethcannon**, **KeilaPercy4Eva **(Yes, I got my assignment done, thanks for the support!), **blythe5**, **allen r** and **WingDawn98 **for the wonderful reviews. You get cookies! (::) (::) (::)**

**Congratulations to** Apeni **for guessing Gabby's godly parent.**

**Well, enough of my ranting, here's the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians**

* * *

I stopped in my tracks. _My dream._ I had forgotten all about it until Percy mentioned it. I must have had a strange expression on my face, because Percy said, "Oh, you don't have to tell me, it's not important." I was pretty sure it was though.

I shrugged, not knowing what to say. When I finally opened my mouth, Kayleigh stepped in front of us, and judging by her clothes, it looked like she had a phobia of anything that wasn't pink.

"Hiya handsome," she said swaying her hips and twirling her hair. Percy didn't give her a second look, but nodded his head and said a quick "Hello". He turned back to me and looked like he was about to say something when Kayleigh cleared her throat with a high-pitched _hem hem._

"Do you want something?" Percy asked politely, while I tried to give him the _'Abort mission! Danger zone! Do not speak to Kayleigh Edwards' _signal, but being the obtuse idiot that he is, he obviously took my rapid coughs, my shaking head and hand movements as some kind of coughing fit.

Kayleigh looked at me like I was some kind of mutant. _She's one to talk, _I thought as I rolled my eyes and pulled a face at her. She didn't see it, because she was focused, once again, on Percy.

"Of course I want something," she said, winking in what I guess was supposed to be a flirtatious manner. "Can you guess what?"

"To get back on the mother-ship?" I said. Kayleigh sneered at me but then pouted at Percy.

"Um, I, er, kinda have to–" he started, trying to walk away. But Kayleigh, being the persistent little monkey that she is, she grabbed his hand and ran a finger up is arm. Percy's eyes said _'Abort! Help!'_ Poor guy.

"No, silly," Kayleigh said as she took a step toward him, "I want _you_."

Percy gulped but managed to splutter out, "Look, I have a girlfriend so…"

He seemed frozen in place as Kayleigh's eyes flashed with fury. I decided to step in at this moment, so I grabbed Percy's other arm and said "My deepest apologies Kayleigh, but we really need to be going now. Percy's stomach won't be able to hold out much longer without some proper nutrition."

Some emotion pasted itself across Kayleigh's face as she loosened her grip enough for Percy to yank his arm out of her iron clutches. He stumbled over to where I was standing and I smirked at Kayleigh, who looked like she was trying to do long division. Then her eyes bulged and she pointed at me.

"You," she stammered. She laughed loudly, causing passersby to stop and watch Kayleigh's sudden outburst. "_You're _his girlfriend."

I rolled my eyes at her. "No, don't be an idiot."

"Oh sweetheart," Kayleigh said, looking at Percy with a sympathetic expression, "why her? You could do so much better than her. Like me."

"Kayleigh," Percy said, "Gabby is _not _my girlfriend."

"Who is she then?" Kayleigh challenged. Immediately, Percy began ranting about Annabeth; Wise Girl this and Wise Girl that. How she was his best friend and how she's the most beautiful girl ever, with her curly blonde hair and grey eyes.

At the last part, Kayleigh's eyes narrowed. She glared at me, winked at Percy and strutted down the hall with whatever pride and dignity she had left.

"Well," I stated, "that got rid of her."

Percy smiled sadly, "It sure did."

I sat down next to Percy under our oak tree, munching on a banana. Percy was oddly quiet. I looked at him. He had a faraway look in his eyes. I suddenly noticed some features about him that I had overlooked before. His eyes were a duller color that I had first depicted and his nose was oddly crooked. It looked like it had been broken several times already. Grey circles outlined his eyes, probably from a lack of sleep. His hair was streaked with grey, which I had overlooked as the remains of a few grey hairs. He looked ill. I presumed that he hid it with a smile; he had fooled me.

Suddenly, his head turned in my direction and his eyes met mine. Looking straight at me he said, "Tell me about your dream."

I looked away from Percy's piercing gaze as I sighed and lowered my head. He was going to ask me this sooner or later but I still wasn't quite prepared to explain my dreams to him. I've only known him for a day.

Percy seemed to notice that I felt uncomfortable, so he looked away, back at his sandwich. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I'm not going to force you."

I gave him a small smile as he let out a breath and looked at me again. "I suffer from bad nightmares. _Really_ bad nightmares." Percy's voice cracked on the word 'really'. "They first started when I was about twelve, and I had no one to share them with. Well, I had Grover, but I didn't want to worry him. Then I went to camp. Before Annabeth and I became friends, I talked to Mr. Brunner, the camp director. A lot of kids there have experienced some kind of emotional trauma; me and Annabeth were two of them. Something," Percy paused, "an _accident_ happened at camp. We all had nightmares for ages. But Annabeth helped the most. We have to haul each other up if we fall down. There was a time when we didn't think we were going to recover."

He looked at me and said, "That's why I want here last year. I was recovering."

I smiled sadly and nodded. Percy sighed and was about to get up when I grabbed his arm and pulled him back down. He looked at me with a questioning expression.

"My dream," I began, "It was cold. Very cold and very dark," I took a shaky breath as I continued, "I was attacked, but I couldn't see be what. It was…like…_claws_ were tearing at my back. It _hurt_, so badly. Then I saw a light. A small one, but it was there. And it was warm. I wanted to move towards it, but I couldn't. My feet were stuck to the ground. And then it disappeared. Gone. Poof." I looked at Percy's expressionless face, "And I was alone. Again. I could feel the blood dripping down my back. I was dying."

Percy looked down and frowned. "How did you know about my T-shirt? You said that it was part of your dream."

"Before I died, the dream changed. I was in a wood. It was red and gold and there was light streaming through the trees. It was very _pretty_. I sat up and looked around. Next to me was a girl. She had black spiky hair. She wore all black and she looked about, what, fifteen? Next to her was a boy. He had black hair too and very pale skin. He was wearing a black aviator's jacket I think. He was also wearing a skull ring." Percy's eyes widened when I finished describing the boy and girl. I dismissed and thoughts and resumed telling my story. "On my other side, was you." _That _got Percy's attention. "Did you know that you talk in your sleep?"

"What? What did I say?"

"'Annabeth,'" I smiled as Percy's face flushed a deep red. "Anyway, you were wearing that T-shirt. The _Camp Half-Blood_ one. Then, I heard a sound so I went towards it. It was nighttime now. Then someone told me to stop, so I did. I tried to call out for help but I couldn't, and when I looked back at you and the others, you were gone. I tried to run but I couldn't. The voice told me to stop again and then that I stand alone. Then it told me '_You are power. You will stand down. You will not fight, else those closest to your heart will pay for your mistakes._' It told me to sleep. It told me not to fight it. And as I fell asleep, it tortured me. Then I woke up."

Percy and I looked at each other. I didn't know what he was going to say. He got up from his crooked sitting position, helped me up and said, "Do you want to come to my place tonight?"

* * *

**Love it? Hate it? Let me know! **

**I won't update again until I get 20 reviews, so press that button people!**

**See you soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone. Welcome back to the story.**

**Before you start throwing stuff at me for not updating, please let me explain. Since it's winter here, and I am _extremely _prone to colds, I have been very sick. I'm writing this on one of my sick days. Plus, we've been getting tons of homework and assignments. 9th grade is tough for a 13 year old girl!**

**Anyway, you probably don't want to hear about my life, so here's the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Look. I'm not, and will never be, Rick Riordan. Even if I was, don't you think I'd be working on House of Hades at the moment?**

* * *

CHAPTER 8

So, lunch was over and Percy and I had gym with Coach Collins. Coach is a tall, military type guy, who always carries a clipboard, wears a whistle on a cord around his neck and always talks like he's speaking through a megaphone. His black hair is always in a buzz cut and _really_ likes to pick on scrawny kids. And girls. Every time I have him as a teacher, he makes a point that he thinks girls are useless, flimsy, helpless barbie dolls, and often makes us do extra work. Imagine his surprise when I came into his class in sophomore year and beat the majority of the class in the cross country race that they make you do. So at least I've gained _some _of his respect.

Percy and I walked to the gym with our gym clothes. I think its law to make school uniforms as ugly and as uncomfortable as possible. Take the Goode High for example. The top is a sickly pea green T-shirt with a black collar and black sleeves. The shorts, dear God, the shorts are _yellow_. Who in their right mind makes a school uniform _yellow? _

I got my phone – a plain old Nokia – out of my pocket and dialled Mom's number. Percy looked at me, questioning the reason for my call.

"I'm calling Mom," I whispered, as the phone rang.

"Why?" he asked. Seriously, does he forget things _this_ easily?

"To ask if I can come to your place tonight." I said as I rolled my eyes. Percy nodded his head in a curt, jerky motion. The phone rang twelve times before Mom finally picked up.

"Hello? Gabby?" she sounded worried. I don't usually call her in the middle of the day.

"Hey Mom,"

"Is something wrong?"

I shook my head even though she couldn't see it. "No, but Percy asked me to dinner at his place tonight. Can I go?"

Mom was silent for a while, probably pondering how to answer. "I suppose. Why?"

"Why am I going?" I looked at Percy and rolled my eyes to say _'You've _got_ to be kidding me.' _He smirked. "Can't I hang out with a friend? The first _actual _friend I've ever had?"

"I suppose," Mom replied. "How are you getting there? Are you walking?"

"No, he has a car."

"He has a _car?_" she squealed. I had to hold the phone at least a foot away from my head to prevent my eardrum from bursting.

"Yeah, so?"

"Is it a date?" she asked.

"What? No!"

"Are you sure?" I could practically hear her smirking.

"Yes Mom," I assured her.

"Okay. Be home by eight, be polite and _no_ kissing in his car."

"_What!? _We're not even -" I began, but she had already hung up.

I sighed, turned my phone off, and looked at Percy. An amused smile played across his lips.

"So, no kissing in my car huh?" he said.

"Shut up!" I told him as I playfully whacked his shoulder. "Come on, we're got Gym."

Percy grinned, "Wouldn't want to keep Coach Collins waiting."

"Listen up, cupcakes!" Coach Collins shouted, sounding ten times louder than it actually is; his voice resonating off the walls of the gym. "I want three laps of the gym. If it takes you over four minutes, that's twenty push-ups. Any complaining will be another five."

He looked at us like we were crazy. Pff, has he even seen himself lately? "What are you waiting for ladies? An invitation? Let's get moving people!"

I rolled my eyes and began to jog around the track. The gym wasn't that big, so three laps would only take about three and a half minutes if I kept a steady pace. Scott Davies and his football mates began to sprint off to the front of the pack, probably trying to show off to the cheerleaders who were jogging about a hundred metres behind me.

I looked around for Percy. He wasn't at the back with the scrawny kids and the preps. He wasn't with the cheerleaders or with Sara Ross and Rebecca Dallis, the captain and co-captain of last year's volleyball team, either. I looked ahead. The jocks and the kids from the track team were battling it out in the last round of the courts. I couldn't see Percy anywhere.

_Where has that boy got to?_

Quickening my pace, I jogged ahead and began to catch up to the last of the football players. Then, I saw a figure about two-hundred feet in front of Scott Davies. My eyes followed the figure and I recognised that mop of unruly black hair.

Percy Jackson finished his three laps at least thirty seconds before Scott and the other athletes, and he didn't even break a sweat. Scott, on the other hand, was bent over, red faced and panting, glaring at Percy who was talking to Coach Collins.

I finished my last lap and walked over to Percy, who was taking a drink out of a blue water-bottle. I grabbed mine from my bag and sat next to him.

"I definitely underestimated you, Percy," I said. He smirked grimly.

"I could say the same thing about you. Where'd you learn to run like that?"

I laughed and looked over at the other girls who were prancing about like performing ponies. You could tell that the only time _they_ ran was at a half-price shoe sale.

"I was on the track team in middle school," I explained, "training became a habit I guess. What about you?"

Percy looked at me with that blank expression, "Huh?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh come_ on!_ Did you see the look on Scott's face when you beat him?" He frowned. _Obviously not,_ I thought.

"He was _so_ jealous! Where did you learn to run that fast?" I asked. The last of the class were finishing their last lap of the gym, about a minute over Coach's requirements.

_Drop and give me twenty, maggots! _Coach's voice echoed around the gym. Percy and I looked over our shoulders to see Arnold Ryder and his friends begin their twenty push-ups, perspiration dripping down their foreheads.

"Really?" Percy asked, making his way back to Coach. As if on cue, Marcus Westbrook, one of Scott's football buddies, came up to Percy and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey man," Marcus said, "awesome running today, dude. I'm Marcus by the way."

"Percy Jackson," Percy replied, smiling awkwardly. The two shook hands and I noticed Scott glaring at Percy with obvious envy.

"Say Percy," Marcus began, "football trails start next week, you should come along."

"You know," Percy replied, "I'll think about it."

"Awesome man, see ya later," Marcus said, fist bumping an extremely dazed Percy and jogging over to talk to Scott.

"I told you so," I said as Coach began explaining our next activity. Percy pouted and scrunched his eyebrows together. I silently laughed and turned my attention back to Coach Collins who was lecturing us about the importance of fitness.

"Okay, maggots! I've got one year until you leave and go about your prancy little princess lives. I've got one year to toughen you princesses up and turn you into A-class athletes!"

At this point, the football team all pumped their fists into the air and shouted _Yeah!_

I rolled my eyes at them. _They are such boys, _I thought.

"This year," Coach continued, "will be the toughest year of your life. I don't take complaints, I don't make exceptions and I WILL make athletes out of you all."

_Wow, serious much?_ I thought.

Coach explained that our first four Gym, no, _Physical Education_, lessons will be fitness testing. The first session (today) will be aerobic fitness. Next lesson, which is Thursday, will be muscular strength and endurance. Lesson three will be flexibility and the fourth session will be a combination of the three components. I know. Exciting isn't it?

We spent the rest of the lesson doing aerobics. Doing an hour of Zumba in a non-air-conditioned gymnasium with a class full of sweaty teenage buys isn't exactly my idea of a cup of tea. Better make that coffee. I love my caffeine.

I suppose the best part of that lesson was when Coach Collins began complaining about how _'kids these days have no appreciation for a proper workout!'_ To prove his point, he got up from the bleachers and began doing the Zumba with us, and believe me, it's _not_ something you want to see.

So, we finished gym looking like sweaty monkeys, and we made our way to the locker rooms to get cleaned up.

"Hey Gab," Percy called out. This got the attention of the other girls in our class. He seemed untroubled by the stares, but then again, I wondered if he actually knew that people were looking at us. He's so naïve.

"Yeah?" I called out, pretending not to see the stares of our classmates.

"After dismissal, meet me at my car. You know where it's parked right?"

"Since when do you have a car?" I asked, teasing him.

"Huh?" he asked. I chuckled and rolled my eyes. _Gee, _I thought,_ I seem to be doing that a lot lately._

"Last time I checked, it wasn't a car. It's a piece of rusty metal on wheels." I smiled innocently. Percy laughed and shook his head. He walked into the boy's locker room and whispers automatically began rippling through our classmates ears.

I walked into the locker room and took a shower. _Ugh,_ I thought,_ if Coach gets us to exercise like that again, I'm gonna scream._

I washed the sweat and grime from my body and changed into my normal clothes, putting my gym outfit into my bag. I walked out of the locker-room and down the hall to homeroom. I sat down near the back and waited for the bell to ring.

Miss Garcia sat at her desk reading a book about war history. Scott and Marcus were talking very loudly about (surprise surprise!) football. In the front of the room, Kayleigh was ranting about something to two of her cronies, Hailey and Hanna Hackett. Hailey and Hanna were twins, both with auburn hair and dark blue eyes. Hailey had short hair in a stylish bob, and Hanna had shoulder length hair that was limp from too much straightening. The twins were such a contrast to Kayleigh, who had her long black hair curled and twisted into some fashionable hairstyle that has a name that I couldn't pronounce. While Hailey and Hanna had a light cinnamon skin and dark blue eyes, Kayleigh had light pale skin and cold, ice coloured eyes. The three of them were probably gossiping about the latest boy candy or something.

_Oh my God._ I thought as I watched the clock tick over to quarter past three, _just ring already! Three, two, one…_

RING!

_Finally!_

I grabbed all of my things off of my desk and rushed out of the door ahead of everyone else. I ran out the front doors and breathed a breath of the fresh air. I stood there for a while, while the other students filed out and went their various ways. Some students went to the bus stop, while other began to walk. But the more lucky ones swaggered over to their cars. Kayleigh strutted her way to her bright pink car (yes, I know. But it matches her eye-shadow), and started to reapply her lipstick looking in her rear-view mirror.

I sighed, smiling, but was knocked out of my daze by a cool hand on my shoulder. Percy's cool voice said "Hey, are you okay?"

"Just thinking," I replied.

"Really?" he asked, his eyebrows scrunching. "I tried to do that once…but it didn't end well. I ended up with a couple of burns and Annabeth wouldn't talk to me for a few days."

He said that so nonchalantly that I had no choice but to laugh. Percy is definitely one strange guy.

"Come on," he said, galling me over, "I don't want to miss a batch of cookies! Mom _always_ makes some so they're ready for when I get home."

I shook my head and smiled. Percy was already halfway to his car and I had to run to catch up to him.

"Nothing keeps you away from your cookies does it?" I said, jokingly as we found his car.

As we opened our car doors and got inside, Percy started the ignition and turned to me with a very serious expression on his face. "No," he said, and I realized that he was talking about his cookies. "No it doesn't."

We drove out of the parking lot and Percy's car hiccuped a few times. I laughed.

"What?" Percy whined. "I'm saving for a new car."

"Save faster."

I turned on the radio and found a station that was blasting out some rock music. I sighed happily and leaned back in my seat. It was so peaceful.

Well, it wasn't for long.

* * *

**What did you think? Love it? Hate it? Please let me know! I accept constructive criticism, and please let me know if the characters are OOC.**

**If we could aim to get 20+ reviews, it would really make my day!**

**See you soon!**

**Peace out!**

**BcozYou'reMyFriendSeaweedBrain.**

**Oh, and could you check out the poll on my profile? It will influence the way this story turns out!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello my lovely readers. I would like to apologize for disappearing off the face of the earth for like, forever, and I'd like to say that I have a legitimate reason, but I don't. I'm lazy, and I'm pretty sure I have ADD or something...**

**This chapter is dedicated to Catherine Dale. Your review really made my day. It was the first day back at school today and I was a bit bummed, but after reading your review...Wow. Thank you. I based the character of Kayleigh off of someone at my school, so I know exactly how you feel. Welcome to the club (you get a badge and everything!) :D**

**Disclaimer: Nope. I'm not Rick. I wish I was, but then I'd be a guy. Awkward much?**

* * *

CHAPTER 9

"Mom! I'm home!" Percy called in a sing-song voice as he opened his apartment door. His poor mother, she has to live with _him_ all the time. As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I was greeted by the scent of freshly baked goods. _It's most likely blue chocolate chip cookies._ I thought to myself.

"I'm in the kitchen, dear," came a sweet voice from the room to my right. "I've made you cookies!"

Immediately, Percy dropped his things and ran into what I supposed was the kitchen. I followed, to see him kissing his mom on the cheek. She had long curly brown hair and warm eyes that sparkled with youth. She looked far too young to have an eighteen year old son.

"Have I ever told you that I love you?" Percy said, gazing at the cookies on the tray. Percy's mom laughed.

"At least once a day. Be careful, those cookies are hot."

Percy waved his hand, dismissing his mother's words. She smiled at me and held up her hand. She looked at me and, lowering a finger with every word, mouthed_ Five, Four, Three, Two, One._

"Owwwww!" Percy yelled. I clapped my hand over my mouth, trying (and failing) to stifle laughter. "These are _hot_!"

At this, I couldn't hold it in. I burst out in fits of laughter. Percy pouted as he fanned his mouth. Sally chuckled in amusement.

"Percy, you've done that every day for the past thirteen years, and you still haven't learnt. What is it with you?"

"I'm a Seaweed Brain, duh." Percy said "and I really like these cookies."

"They really are amazing, Mrs. Blofis," I said to Percy's mom, "he gave me one this morning. They were awesome. I really can see why he loves them so much."

"Why thank you," she said. She then turned to Percy and said, "Well?"

"Whe wah?" Percy said. I suppose he was supposed to say _Well what?_ But his mouth was full of cookies.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" she asked, "Honestly Percy, where have your manners gone."

Percy shrugged and went back to eating cookies. _Boys,_ I thought. I held out my hand to Mrs. Blofis and said, "Oh, sorry Mrs. Blofis, I'm Gabriella Winnok. I hope you don't mind me coming over. Percy insisted."

"Not at all, dear," she said, taking my hand. "And call me Sally. Mrs. Blofis makes me sound old."

"We wouldn't want that," I smiled.

"It is so nice to see Percy making friends," Sally said as she put away her blue oven gloves, "there was a time when he couldn't make any friends at all."

"_Mom,_" Percy groaned as he swallowed his third cookie, "_please_ don't start on the 'let's all tell embarrassing Percy stories' again please. It was bad enough when you showed Annabeth my baby pictures."

My eyes glowed in delight.

"He has baby pictures?" I asked Sally. She nodded, but Percy cut in before she could say anything.

"Oh, no you don't. I have hidden that album in a place you'll never find it." Percy said smugly. Sally and I looked at each other and then back at Percy.

"It's under your bed," we said in unison. Percy glared at us and muttered _I knew that was too obvious. _

"Well…I'm going to hide it again!"

Sally cocked an eyebrow at her son's antics. "I honestly don't think that album will even _fit_ in your underwear drawer."

"Are you psychic Mom?" Percy asked. This boy is just too predictable.

"No," Sally said. "I'm your mother."

"I'll just burn that book tonight."

"There is _no way_ you're starting a fire in my house young man," Sally said. Percy frowned and muttered _Darn!_

Then to me she whispered, "Don't worry, I made copies."

I giggled and whispered, "I'll take you up on that."

She laughed and went back to our original subject. "Yes, poor Percy. In Sixth Grade, his only friend was little Grover."

"_That _is hard to believe," I said as I snatched a cookie from Percy's hand. I took a bite out of it and felt the warm chocolate chips melt in my mouth. "It's only the second day and he's already got a fan club."

"Okay," Percy loudly interrupted. "Come on Gabby, we've got homework."

Sally's face was priceless. Percy must really not want to talk about his 'fan club' if _he_ was the one to suggest homework.

"Oh, and Mom," Percy said as he picked up his bag and dragged me along to his room, "Gabby's staying for dinner. Hope you don't mind!"

Percy's room was simple. It had a window looking out to the inner city and a bed with (surprise, surprise) blue bed sheets. A fish bowl was in the corner of his small nightstand, sitting next to a picture of him, Annabeth and another girl with black hair and blue eyes. I recognised her from somewhere. I stood there, looking at the picture until I realised that she was the girl from my dream.

"What's her name?" I asked Percy as he kicked off his shoes. He looked at me and then the photo and then he smiled.

"That's my cousin, Thalia Grace," he said. "We are so similar it's scary. The year that photo was taken, Annabeth," he paused, trying to figure out what to say. "Annabeth…wasn't around. Thalia made the mistake of calling me Seaweed Brain. That was one fight I'll never forget."

"What happened?" I asked, suddenly interested.

"Well, I jumped on her and we had this massive fist fight," he sighed as if he was having a delightful recollection.

"Well, Mr. Wonderful Memory," I said, taking out my books and putting them on his bed. "I think it's time for homework."

"Wait, what?" Percy whipped around and I smiled innocently. Well, as innocent as I could muster.

"You're the one who suggested it," I said in my defence.

"I didn't actually _mean_ it," he whined.

"Oh," I said, amused. "Well, if you don't want to do homework with me, would you rather I go and look at pictures with your mom?"

That got him into study mode. He whipped out his notebook, sat down at his desk and began his music homework. I laughed and rummaged around my bag for my copy of _Romeo and Juliet. _I flopped down on his bed and opened it to my scene. I still can't get over the fact that Scott plays Romeo. It's going to be so un-romantic.

After about half an hour, Percy got up from his chair and turned to me.

"I'm just going to talk to Mom for a minute. You stay here."

I nodded my head and turned my head back to the script. I gazed over my lines.

_O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?  
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;  
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,  
And I'll no longer be a Capulet. _

_Oh my God, _I thought, _I hate my life._

_'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;  
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.  
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,  
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part  
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!  
What's in a name? that which we call a rose  
By any other name would smell as sweet;  
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,  
Retain that dear perfection which he owes  
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,  
And for that name which is no part of thee  
Take all myself. _

_Who talks like this anyway?_ I rolled my eyes. _This is _way_ too sappy._

I got bored with that, so I got up from Percy's bed and wandered around the room. There was something interesting about this place. I looked around and couldn't figure out what it was.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I opened it up and saw a text from Mom.

_Hey Gab, _it read,_ hope you're okay. Don't forget to be polite and be home by eight._

I smiled. It was reassuring to know that she was thinking about me. Not seeing her very often gave me a sense of both independency and loneliness.

I quickly replied, saying that I wouldn't forget my manners, that Sally is lovely, and that I'll get Percy to bring me home by eight.

I stuffed my phone back in my pocket and that's when it hit me. I turned around to give the room a quick once-over and my suspicions were confirmed. Percy was definitely _not _a normal eighteen year old boy.

There was _no technology in his room!_ That is definitely abnormal. _Come to think of it,_ I thought,_ I've never seen Percy with a phone or anything else like that at all. I definitely have a _lot_ of things to ask him about._

I walked out of Percy's bedroom and down the hall, following the sound of Sally's voice, but I stopped when I heard what she was saying.

"…how can you be sure?" I heard Sally say. _Be sure of what?_

Most of their conversation was drowned out by the sound of a cooking show on the television, but I could make out some of what Percy was saying.

"…ADHD and dyslexia…recruit for camp…"

_Recruit for camp? _I thought,_ what does that even mean? And what has me being ADHD and dyslexic got to do with it?_

"Can't you hide it a bit longer?" It was Sally's voice this time. "…discuss with Annabeth…she's dealt with…coming soon…call Chiron…"

_Chiron? As in the centaur?_

Feeling like I was intruding, I slowly crept away. But before I got back to Percy's room, I could have sworn I heard the words _'her father'. _

It was five o'clock and both Percy and I were getting _seriously _bored of our homework. I had given up on _Romeo and Juliet_ twenty minutes ago. All of that romance made my eyes burn. I groaned and put my pen down. It didn't look like Percy was having too much luck with his Music homework; he was frowning and his page was covered in an untidy scrawl.

"Okay," I said. Percy looked up from his sheet of paper questioningly.

"Okay what?" he asked.

"You and Annabeth," I said. I really wanted to know more about her.

"You're so bored that you don't have anything to do but to ask me about my love life?"

I glanced at my copy of _Romeo and Juliet._ I looked back at Percy. I think he caught the drift.

"What is there to say?" he asked. "I love her, she loves me. There's not really much else to say is there?"

"Hell yeah!" I exclaimed. "What happened when you first met? When did you realise that you liked her? When was your first kiss? When did you ask her out? Why –"

"I get the idea. One question at a time. Please!"

"Fine," I grumbled, "when did you realise you liked her?"

Percy smiled grimly. "We were fourteen. She went missing for a month and I _insisted_ that I go and look for her. My – er – aunt told me that it was, and I quote, '_A quest for true love.'_ I didn't believe her, obviously. It seems like everyone knew we were going to get together except us."

He glanced at the door, making sure no one was around. He leaned in and added, "Paul even told me that Mom had started planning the wedding."

I laughed, big and loud. That seemed like Sally alright.

"Next question," I said. "When did you two get together? You said it was on your birthday. What happened?"

"Can we not do the whole _girl talk_ thing?" Percy pleaded. "It was bad enough back at camp."

"No," I said. "Now answer my questions."

Percy sighed. He knew that it was no use fighting with me. "Well, I suppose it _really _began when she 'disappeared' for a while. I was out of my mind with worry. After we found her and she was back at camp, I think everyone expected us to automatically start dating. But no, we were just in that awkward stage. It was like that for about a year. It got even worse when she kissed me."

"She _kissed _you?" I asked. _How thick can this guy be? _"And you still didn't ask her out."

"I was a little pre-occupied," he said. Then, he shook his head. "But that's not the point. A couple of days before I turned sixteen, there was an…accident at camp. People _died._ One of her…" he gulped. "One of her old friends sacrificed himself to save everyone. His name was Luke. He…he made some pretty bad choices, but he died a hero."

It was terrible, hearing what Percy had gone through. It seems like he had a pretty messed up childhood.

"Who was Luke?"

Percy smiled grimly, his eyes showing almost every emotion I could name, and even some I couldn't. "Luke was fourteen when he met Annabeth. She ran away from home when she was seven and he and Thalia," he pointed to the photo on his nightstand, "found her on the streets. She liked him. As in _like_ him. He left everyone the summer that I came to camp. Annabeth couldn't believe it. She kept defending him, even though he was gone. When he died," Percy shook his head. "He was like a brother to her. He helped us realise our feelings before he died.

"That night, Annabeth had made me a blue birthday cupcake. I didn't realise that it was my birthday until she mentioned it. I was going to ask her out, but then she started talking about how Rachel had broken up with me, which was stupid, 'cause we weren't even dating –"

"Wait," I said. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare?"

"Yeah," Percy said, surprised. "Do you know her?"

"Well, yeah," I replied. "At least I used to. She was the only one that was _remotely _nice to me. That was, until she left. She's at Clarion's, right?"

Percy smiled. "Yeah, her father shipped her off. We were friends in our freshmen year. You might remember that." I did. The two were inseparable that year.

"She comes to camp now, so I see her every summer. Annabeth hated her. I think it was because we got so close."

I rolled my eyes. "Gee," I said. Please note the sarcasm. "You _think?_"

Percy smiled sheepishly. "She did kiss me once. A week before by birthday."

"So you see her a lot then?"

"Yeah, and after me and Annabeth –"

"Annabeth and I," I corrected.

"Whatever. After we got together, they became friends."

I smiled and nodded. Rachel didn't seem to be the kind to hold grudges. I wondered if she still liked to paint, and if her hair was the same. But I hadn't finished interrogating Percy yet.

"So, when's your birthday? It seems like it's rather important."

Percy nodded and smiled. "Believe me, it was."

He was quiet for a while, and then he said, "August 18th."

"Huh?"

"My birthday. It's August 18th."

I laughed. "That's hilarious!"

Percy scrunched up his eyebrows. "How?"

"I'm totally older than you!"

"Seriously?"

"Yep," I said proudly. "I was born on the 10th of June."

"Aww, man," Percy said. "Everyone's older than me. Annabeth, Thalia and technically Nico is too. It sucks!"

"Aww, poor wittle Percy," I said, patting his head. He grumbled curses in what I recognised as Greek.

A few seconds later, Sally poked her head through the doorframe and smiled. "Kids, it's time for dinner." She looked at Percy and saw his frown.

To me she said, "What's up with him?"

I smiled smugly. "He's sulking because I'm older than him."

Sally laughed and shook her head. "Poor baby," she said, chuckling. "Dinner is on the table and Paul won't be back until eight-thirty, so you'll have to use your car to take Gabriella home."

"Seriously?" Percy droned. "That piece of junk doesn't even run properly."

"Well, unless you want to walk…" Sally trailed off, leaving the question hanging in the air. As if on cue, thunder clapped and rain started to fall. She smiled and walked away.

"Come on then," Percy said as he clapped his hands on his knees and got up from his chair. He straightened his books and papers and I followed suit. We walked out of his room and down the hallway, to be greeted with the overwhelming aroma of Sally's cooking.

* * *

**So...Love it? Hate it? Let me know!**

**I'm still working on the next chapter, and since someone requested longer chapters, you might not hear from me for a while. But I will update as soon as I can.**

**I'm going to do a poll/quiz question at the end of each chapter, so here's number 1**

**Which demigod are you going to marry?**

**a) Percy Jackson**

**b) Nico di Angelo**

**c) Leo Valdez**

**d) Travis Stoll**

**e) Connor Stoll**

**f) Jason Grace**

**g) Luke Castellan**

**I would marry Percy, but that means breaking Percabeth up! So...I choose Nico.**

**See you soon my lovelies!**

**(Can we get a couple more reviews here? Pwease? I would like to get 25 before I update)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Wow. Double digits wooooooo!**

**I'm sorry I didn't update last week like I was going to, but I was on school camp. And then I got sick. On camp. In the cold. And wet. And...well, you get the idea. I was also focusing on my other story for a while. If you haven't already, you should check it out. It's more popular than this one.**

**I won't be writing very much this weekend because my brain has totally gone to much, but I will be back and at 'em before you know it!**

**This chapter is dedicated to **Ellise (Guest). **I totally love your reviews! You should totally grab yourself an account and we can chat about random stuff...I dunno. Just a thought.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson...Annabeth Chase does**

* * *

CHAPTER 10

"That was delicious Sally," I said, finishing my pasta. If I could learn to cook _half_ as good as this I'd be happy.

"Why thank you dear," she said as she picked up her dishes and took them into the kitchen.

I grabbed mine and Percy's empty plates and followed her. "Let me help you with that," I offered.

Sally smiled at me. "If only Percy would be this polite; he _never_ does the dishes." She shook her head, and said, "But no, you and Percy should do something. The poor boy has been so lonely since Annabeth went back to San Francisco. I'm trying to convince her father to let her come and stay here for the school year, but I think it'll take longer than I thought."

"Does Percy know?" I asked her as I handed her a tea towel.

"Of course not," Sally said. "It's a surprise. Besides, I didn't want to get his hopes up."

I nodded. "So," I began, "do you know Annabeth well?"

Sally's eyes lit up and she smiled broadly. "Of course I do, dear. She almost _lives_ here when she comes to New York," she gushed. "–and such a lovely girl. Very polite and _very_ smart. With her help, Percy got an 'A-' on his history test. We were so proud."

I stood there and listened to Sally talk about Percy and Annabeth. After a while, I actually caught on to what she was saying. Before that, it was quite a blur.

"– two of the most _oblivious_ people in the world; everyone knew they liked each other – except for each other of course – and everyone tried to get them together, I don't know _how_ many times they tried to set them up. After their friends found out about that date-not-date-gone-wrong when they were fourteen, they _knew_ that they liked each other. They always acted like an old married couple anyway. They would always stick up for each other and argue almost all the time, but they were never serious about it; they might not talk for a few days, but they always make up in the end.

"They are like polar opposites – Percy's father and Annabeth's mother _hate_ each other, she's always organised and he's very, how do I say this," Sally paused. "_Not_. I guess polar opposites really do attract.

"I even began a wedding scrapbook for them…" Sally stopped abruptly. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that," she admitted.

"I won't tell anyone," I said. Then I sighed and smiled. "I honestly feel like I've known these two forever; all Percy ever talks about is Annabeth. He carries a picture of her in his pocket. I wish I could see her this weekend, but Mom and I are going to Florida to visit my grandparents."

"Such a shame. I'm sure Annabeth would love to meet you," Sally said. "Keep an eye out for her at Goode. You never know when she might turn up."

"Sure, Sally," I said as she looked at the clock.

"Oh my!" she exclaimed. "I've kept you here for ages. Go and do something before Percy takes you home."

Sally was right. It was already seven o'clock; I had to be home in an hour.

"Yeah, thanks Sally."

* * *

"Your mom is awesome," I said to Percy, who was in the living room. As I sat down on the couch next to him, he looked up from his workbook with his eyes wide.

"What did she do?" he asked. "She told you the rubber ducky story, didn't she? I _knew_ I should have told her to – "

"Percy," I said, cutting him off from his rambling. "Your mom never told me about a rubber ducky, but I'm more than willing to listen…" I trailed off as I saw Percy's mortified expression.

"Well, this is embarrassing," he muttered, gesturing for me to sit next to him on the couch. "What was she talking about?"

"She told me about you and Annabeth," I said. "She really does sound wonderful. When does she get here? You said she was staying for the weekend."

Percy smiled widely. "Yeah, her flight comes in at twelve thirty I think. I'll go pick her up and bring her back here by one thirty and then we'll go and visit her mom." He wrinkled his nose and shivered.

"Yesterday, you said that her mom doesn't like you very much," I noted. "Why?"

"_That,_" Percy said, "is a very good question. I suppose it's because she hates my father, the ongoing feud and that I'm, and I quote, _'An insolent little sea spawn that cannot do anything besides ogle at my daughter with moony eyes!'_"

"You're joking, right?" I asked. Percy shook his head and sighed.

"Nope," he said, popping the 'p'. "I've honestly lost count of the times she's tried to break us up."

"Well that's very friendly," I said. Please note the sarcasm.

"Eh," Percy shrugged, turning back to his music paper. "We've been through worse."

"Fair enough," I said as I picked up the television remote. After flicking through several stations, I settled on David Attenborough's _Life in Cold Blood._

"What is this?" Percy asked as he closed his workbook and turned his attention to the TV. He jerked a little when a lizard snapped up a fly with his tongue. I laughed.

"Attenborough," I answered.

Percy frowned. "Why?"

"There's nothing else on," I said. "Besides, I like this show."

"We have over forty channels! There must be something else on." With that, he took the remote from my hand and went through literally _all_ the stations on the television. Eventually, he returned to Attenborough and said "No, you were right. There is nothing on."

I rolled my eyes and thought _I told you so._

After about twenty minutes of silently watching, our ADHD got the better of us. Percy started tapping his foot on the floor, wringing his hands, and I was fingering a violin scale on my knee. I had my first orchestra rehearsal of the year on Thursday, and I didn't want to be out of practice.

After another thirty seconds, Percy let out a loud groan.

"I can't stand this!" he exclaimed. "It's too quiet and I'm not doing anything."

I smiled. "I've got an idea," I said like I was talking to a little kid. Mind you, Percy's not too much different that any pre-schooler that I've met. "Let's do something."

"What?"

"I dunno," I said, flipping my bangs out of my eyes. I really needed a haircut. "We could play a game, do stupid dances to eighty's disco music, or look at your baby pictures."

"No no no!" Percy gushed. I smirked at him.

"Well, unless you have anything better to do…"

Percy put on his thinking face. He smiled and said, "So, you said you were going to visit your grandparents this weekend?"

I laughed. "Only you Percy, only you."

He sat there looking at me for a while before I realised that he was waiting for me to start talking.

"Oh, well, on Saturday morning, mom and I are catching a flight to Florida." I saw Percy shudder. "Don't like planes huh?" He shook his head. "Me either. The last time I was on a plane was when mom and I moved from Washington to Idaho, and then from Idaho to here."

"Wow," Percy said. "You've moved a lot."

"Yeah," I said. "I had to find schools that would take me. I've really built up a reputation."

"Tell me about it," Percy said. "I was chased by the cops when I was twelve for supposedly kidnapping my mom and blowing up St. Louis Arch or something. Gabe made this speech on the news about how I was a trouble maker and a delinquent punk and everything. I got him back though."

"How?" I asked. This was getting interesting.

"See, he used to own an appliance store of some sort, and when I got interviewed in Los Angeles, I told the whole city, on camera, the number for his store saying that he'd reward everyone who called with a free gift of major value. Ahh, good times."

"You sir," I said, poking Percy in the shoulder, "are terrible." I laughed. "Well done though."

"It was fun while it lasted," he said. "Anyway, where are you going?"

"We're going back to Florida, where Mom grew up. She moved to New Jersey to go to college I was born there. We moved around quite a lot, so I only really get to see Nan and Pa when they visit and sometimes if Mom and I take a train. But that's only in the holidays; we don't really have much time on our hands. We didn't get to see them this summer because Mom couldn't get time off work, but we're free this weekend, so we're taking a plane."

Percy frowned. "I hate planes," he mumbled.

We laughed together and I traced the rips in my jeans. Just then, Sally walked in to the lounge room and coughed loudly.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Gabby, you have to be home in fifteen minutes."

My eyes grew wide when she said this; Mom was going to kill me!

"Perce," I said. "We're leaving." I got up from the couch and picked up my bag. I walked up to Sally to say goodbye and she gave me a hug. When I looked back at Percy, I saw that he hadn't moved. "Percy, now!"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" He scrambled about, straightened his papers and quickly kissed his mother goodbye, before grabbing his car keys from the kitchen bench.

"Bye Mom," Percy called.

"Hurry up Percy!" I yelled as I opened his apartment door. I grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of the door and down the flight of stairs.

"Ow! Gabby that hurt!" I dragged him out of the apartment building and toward his car.

"That's kinda the idea Perce," I said as he unlocked the doors of his truck. He turned on the engine and after a couple of tries, he got it going. He turned out into the bustling traffic of New York and I cranked up the radio to some Linkin Park and leaned back in my seat. This is the life.

* * *

We sat in silence for a while, but the quietness was loudly interrupted by Percy's car groaning in a way that I was pretty sure it wasn't supposed to. It hiccupped and creaked and Percy pulled over to the side of the road just in time for his car to start spewing a dark cloud of smoke.

"Oh crud," Percy said as the engine whirred and grinded to a halt.

"I take it that that wasn't supposed to happen," I sighed. I got out of the car and went around to the bonnet of the car, which was blackened with the smoke. I lifted it up and covered my face with my hands as I was greeted by a rush of hot air. I took a quick look at the engine and groaned. It was completely busted.

"Hey Perce," I called out. He stuck his head out of the window. "This car isn't going anywhere soon. You'll have to call your mom or something. A tow-truck would be good as well."

Percy groaned and opened his door muttering curses under his breath. "Can I use your phone?" he asked. "I kinda…well…um…left it at home?" It was more of a question than a statement.

"You mean you don't have one," I said flatly.

"Pretty much," he replied.

"I'll call Mom first and then you can call a tow truck or something," I said as I walked around to my side of the car and rummaged around in my bag for my phone. I called Mom and waited for her to pick up. It rang once, twice, thrice before she finally answered.

"Gabby? Where are you? It's getting late," _Parents,_ I thought,_ so protective._

"I'm fine Mom," I said. "Apart from the fact that Percy and I are stranded without a working car in a New York ditch, everything's hunky dory."

"What?" Mom asked, starting to sound a little stressed out. "Backtrack a little bit. Where are you?"

"Uhhh, hang on a sec." I held my hand to the receiver end of the phone and yelled out to Percy "Yo Perce! Where are we?"

He looked around for a signpost and, when he couldn't see one, just shrugs and says, "Across the road from Starbucks."

_Like that was going to help,_ I thought and shook my head. To Mom, I said, "We're across the road from that shoe store you like. The one with the matching belts or whatever."

"Oh," she breathed. "I'll come and pick the two of you up. I'll be there in five."

She hung up and I handed the phone to Percy. "Mom's coming to rescue us. She'll be here in a couple of minutes. Call a tow-truck or your mom or something."

Percy nodded and took the phone from my hand. I heard him have a small conversation with his mom, and then with the guy for the tow-truck. By the sound of it, there wouldn't be one available until tomorrow. Yay.

"Gab," Percy called. "Bad news. We're gonna have to leave the car here. I called Mom and she said that she'll call Paul to come and get me on his way home from that conference. I texted her your address. Cool?"

"Yeah," I looked at him and said, "Wow. My English teacher is coming to my house. Weird much?"

"Not as weird as him living with you," he retorted.

"Touché," I said.

I turned away and saw my mom's car turn around the corner. She stopped in front of us, rolled down the window and said, "Hey, do you kids need a ride?"

* * *

**I know that Gabby ****_totally _****overreacted, but what the hey. **

**Chapter 9 Poll results: Leo was the most popular! I was actually really surprised... O.o**

**This poll:**

**Who do you think has the least chance of survival in the Giant War?**

**a) Percy**

**b) Annabeth**

**c) Jason**

**d) Piper**

**e) Leo**

**f) Frank**

**g) Hazel**

**h) Nico**

**I don't want any of them to die :'( C'mon guys...you're gonna make it, you have to pull through!**

**Reviews would be wonderful!**


End file.
